I'm looking for one of the illustrations by Stu. For some reason I can't seem to find it anywhere. It's the one where Grape and Peanut are reacting to awkward looks after coming out with their relationship.

You can find it at my FURAFFINITY account if you can't find it on the thread. I will check on later, sorry for the inconvenience.---Oh, and of course since I tend to be a bit forgetful, PRINCE NAVHEED NAIR is (c) Honorable Intentions, while Buwara is (c) Coatl Ruu (i must find a way to fix this credit thing, though)---

Obbl wrote:

I am loving how you write Amar! I'm so excited to see his big screen time!I'll be over here grinning like an idiot for a bit. Don't mind me

And i'll be here getting ready to make the best with these awesome characters!

8.White Cluster, Xanadu, c/o First National Energy Research Laboratories, River Ridge

“It stands to reason,” Natalie ‘Navy’ bean said. She was studying the holographic map of Xanadu, floating in front of his face.Like the beam of a wheel, there was the Green Cluster, the area dedicated to the Nuclear Fusion Research.Then came the first ring of buildings, all coded with their own colors, according to the nature of their researches.First Ring: Blue Cluster, Air & Space technologies. Red Cluster, Robotics & Weapons –and although there was nothing concerning bio-warfare, the fact that nanoweapons were being studied didn’t make the Giant Schanuzer feel better.Second Ring: Gold Cluster, biotechnologies and nanotech for daily life applications from battery packs to solar energy. It was appropriate, that cluster alone was worth all the gold mines in the world. Orange Cluster was dedicated to communications –a single word, the blood of modern civilization.And, dotting the space between the ‘Core Clusters’, were the logistics: Purple Cluster for medical. It made sense to have many self-sufficient buildings scattered all around rather than a single core structure which, in case of attack or epidemic emergency, would be the first to collapse bringing its patients along with it.Azure Cluster, the color of sky, provided environmental control, food and drinkable water. Its staff were the most respected members in Xanadu.Brown Cluster was the third logistic decentered buildings group. A neutral color, which stood out in the colorful facility. It was meant to, for every brown building contained everything you needed in an emergency that could cut off the power –and you did not want to be prisoner underground in a technological tomb, in the absolute darkness, without a way to carry on until either the emergency was resolved or you were out of there.But, in case everything else failed. In case the alternative was to leave everything in the hands of the enemy, or if an environmental crisis could not be contained in any other way……Then there was Shiva.Shiva, a blipping black dot at the center of Xanadu. A dot buried only ten feet under the facility. A discreet presence, something one could easily forget about.A 50-Megaton hydrogen bomb. In a moment, Xanadu and the First National Energy Research Laboratories would disappear in a pillar of nuclear fire – oh, the irony! – leaving one smoldering crater of molten rock fused with traces of some other material, for the curiosity of future geologists.Natalie shivered: Gottschalk liked to play it very rough.“What ‘stands to reason’? Marcus asked. The wolf was sculpting a piece of wood with his SOG cutting knife.“That we have been told everything. No secrets whatsoever.”“Hm?”“Cabin fever is our first enemy, in this place. We must be sure of trusting each other, knowing what everyone else does and where we come from. Layers of secrets would eventually make security job more difficult, there would be conflicts—““There are always secrets,” Marcus interrupted her, without pausing his job, making chips of wood falling on the floor. After a few moments, with the same punctuality that had characterized their movements before, small robots – like mice, only with a glossy white carapace instead of a fur – swarmed out of the floor and quickly cleared after the wolf.Marcus smirked at that sight. “Creepy.”“Not creepy, efficient,” Lance retorted. He was playing a videogame session – or at least something that resembled a videogame – with his tablet. His eyes didn’t leave the screen as he went on. “Although I would have opted for another shape. The engineers at Red said they had taken inspiration from Ray Bradbury’s There Will Come Soft Rains.”“And what’s wrong with that?” Dasco asked, his eyes glued to a session of Magic: the Gathering RPG. He looked ignominiously excited, his tail wagging hard –quite the opposite of the self-composed, almost gloomy dog they had known so far.“That short tale was set in a post-nuclear future, in an automated house where small mice-like robots would take care of their masters’ needs. The house kept functioning somehow even after everything else was gone, every robot doing its task for someone who wouldn’t be there to appreciate it anymore.“Eventually, a tree fell on the house, dousing flammable stuff everywhere, and a spark ignited a fire. The house started burning, and these mice robots came out of the walls, trying to smother the flames…but their effort were useless, and in the end the house burned down. Only one machine kept working: the voice-lock, endlessly repeating the date, while the rain fell on this dead world.”“So, it was creepy,” Marcus said.The Bullador blushed, his voice trembling a bit. “It was sad. Those poor things, trying to do their job to the very end…”This time, Marcus paused. “Let me get this straight: Are you crying over a bunch of fictional robots?”“Nerds,” Dasco said, his paws moving in a blur. On the screen, the wizard of his company sacrificed herself to counterspell the summoning of a Wall of Denial. At that point, the wizard’s dragon, a monstrous Balefire, inflicted a devastating damage against the White Knights bunch of his opponents! The King Shepherd howled his triumph, his fist raised and shaking! “Yes! This will teach you a lesson, ladies: A pro is not politically correct!”Marcus shrugged to Lance. “I never said your attitude was wrong, though: My people is no stranger to animism.” Then he turned his head toward Dasco. “And you learn some respect! Females are to be respected, not fought against!”The other dog shook his head. “Uh-uh! These ladies got skills, mister. They are more the showoffs than the males, actually. Wanna try?” And before Marcus and Lance could object, a controller landed in their lap.“Hey!” both shouted. Marcus almost cut his finger with the sharp blade, Lance almost lost his tablet. “I’m playing, too, if you didn’t notice!”Dasco made a face. “That stuff is not a videogame, dog!”“It is! It’s an Alien Civilization simulator, one still not released on the market!” He showed the Hi-Res screen by tapping on it. “I am building a planet suitable to host life as…Aw, I have just created a massive metal core! Now the crust is too unstable and radioactive.”“Bo-oring you are, guys!” Dasco said, feigning a yawn. “Now come here and enjoy some mayhem! I need a new wizard and possibly a giant Ally!”Marcus put his piece of wood and the knife on the couch where he was sitting. “Now that’s a word I am familiar with. I’m not keen on magic things, but if it comes to smash enemies…”Lance sighed and joined the game. “What the howl, I was going to discard that planet anyway. Do you have an Archivist free?”“Guys, I was talking to you,” Navy protested.Marcus chose his titanic warrior. “I respect you as female, but please! You’re one who barely saw any action. What will you do to protect your quarry in case of problems? Bore your enemy with your ‘negotiations skills’?” This made even the other males giggle.A row of white teeth gleamed in the jet-black muzzle. “Toss me a controller, D. Please,” she asked with poison-coated honey in her voice. She grabbed the object in mid-air.“Do you know this game?” Dasco asked. “Thought you shrinks liked chess.”“Dad taught me MtG since I was a pup. Said it helps understanding your opponent better than chess. And I’ll bet you that I can beat you to our goal, with…aha!” She chose a Yotian Soldier and spent all her initial mana credit to equip it with a Loxodon Warhammer.Dasco scoffed at that choice! “Oh, come on! That is the sort of thing that at this level gets offed before you can move a step toward enemy lines! At best, you’ll be our support behind the front lines, not the vanguard!”“Wanna bet? Follow my tail, bunch of machos!”

In the communal bedroom, Edward Pope was desperately trying to focus on his Kindle.“We got first shift, tomorrow,” Archer said, laying over next to him. “You’re supposed to rest, today’s been quite the exciting day.”Eddie didn’t even turn his eyes to the Greyhound/Norwegian mix. “I want to be sure of sleeping really sound. You know I tend to stay awake when I’m edgy, that’s why during missions you sleep like a pup and I do the shifts.”Archer sat up. “I can’t believe it! You’re afraid of sleeping with us all?! Man, you really should keep your mind out of the sewers, you know?”Eddie looked around, as if the bed was a living thing out to harm him. “Never slept in a bed with anyone else than me! H-half you guys are naked!”“As we usually are, smart alec. So what’s the matter?”“Poor people sleep together in one room!” Eddie was blushing integrally, now. He could almost burn the mattress he was sitting on.“Hey,” Chance said from his portion of the bed. “I was poor, and I used to sleep with my friends. And I miss those days. Something wrong with that, naked ape?”“Monsieur Rich is being too classy for us,” Amar “Monsieur Rich is wanting us to sleep outside, yes?”“Ah-uh…that’s not-that’s not what I meant…” Eddie was stuttering.“C’mon, guys, give him a break,” Archer intervened. “You read his file, he’s still obsessed with money loss.” After Edward’s father had been killed, the boy had inherited a fortune, but he had quickly wasted it in the vain attempt to fill the void caused by the loss. In doing so, unfortunately, Edward had also brought his own family down with him. He had started working for his uncle Jericho because he needed a new paternal figure and he badly needed the money…“Whatever,” Chance grumbled. “Not an excuse to be rude, though.”“You are being his superior. Keep him on a shorter leash.” He grinned. Both cats chuckled.Edward’s teeth were grinding like millstones on grain. He crawled out of the bed. “We need separate beds, this thing is an obstacle in case of emergency—ack!” a moment later, the soft mattress was collapsing on itself, until it had turned into a single futon. The young man was consternated. “The frick..?” he turned to his dog partner…who was holding a remote of sort.“Cool eh? You can set the height and softness.”Edward patted the now semi-hard surface. He wasn’t sure his colleagues would appreciate right now. “Ok, ok, bring it back to…to how it was before!” he stood up and left the ‘futon’. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”It was then, that he heard an anguished cry coming from the living room! Both man and dog exchanged an alarmed look.

“What happened guys?!” Archer asked.Marcus was still holding the fragments of his controller in his trembling fists. His face was a study of cold fury. Lance was blinking like a deer frozen before a truck. Dasco was sobbing against his arm.Navy was keeping her controller suspended against the tip of her finger. She was humming a song. “Mommy taught you so-ome, Mommy taught you so-ome, lallalalla!”On the screen, a sort of robotic creature holding a triangular blade and a sort of gigantic hammer was dancing happily over the bodies of both enemies and allies alike, in the midst of a…medieval city in ruins.“She beat me,” Dasco was repeating, whining like an overgrown puppy. “She beat me. No one ever beat me at a videogame. You cheated! Bad girl!”“Did not.” Navy stood up and went to the fridge, where she helped to a lemon tea. She tapped her skull before uncorking the bottle’s cap. “Shrink. I read carefully your files, and I know how you work, basically. Just a little push here and there, and you played to my tunes like cute, well-trained puppies.”“You manipulated us!” Marcus’ growl was something horrible to hear, and his snarling face was nothing less.Navy walked to him…and kissed his cheek. “Give me fifteen minutes, a can of soda, and I can convince you to cut your own foot. And yes, I am that good.” All of a sudden, she didn’t look like…well, just like an overpaid therapist anymore. “You better respect me for this rather than for my femininity. And now, good night, machos nachos.”Marcus too stood up and left. “I’m not promising she’ll survive the night.”Dasco put the controller in its socket. He looked at the broken one. “Hope they won’t charge the damages on our bill.”“Not a problem, given our pay,” Lance said. “Another game?”“No thanks. The last thing I need now is to discover there’s another shrink waiting on the other side of the screen!”“As you wish. I need my brain’s beauty sleep anyway. Say, it’s good to see you’re…normal, after all.”Dasco’s ears flicked. “What do you mean?”“We were starting to think that there was a mistake, and that you were paired with Elsa. Or that you were a robot.”Dasco chuckled and relaxed against the couch. “Oh, that! Well, call it professional hazard: after working in every possible top-secret facility, it sort of rubbed off on me. Navy’s right: This place is unique, and I don’t mean the tech. In my previous assignments, the scientists of a group were completely close-knit and would never speak to their colleagues of another group. Every intergroup contact passed through the military. At a certain point, everyone was just happy to live in their comfort zone without caring about the others.“One day, this scientist, a…okay, sorry, can’t tell you. Well, anyway, this person died. Heartstroke caused by stress. No one cared to check on that person until the corpse had starts stinking.”Lance made a face. “Ew. But again, who am I to judge? Jake used to live a pretty recluse life. Did you read that tale--?”“The Rains? Yes, I heard you speaking about it. I mean, yes, I read it.”The bullador nodded. “I’m pretty sure Jake had his own disposal robot mice ready to take care of his cadaver, like those robots did with the dog in the tale.”“Nah, turn me into a nice pile of ash anytime. Then I want to be mixed with that fake cocoa stuff. Then we’ll see if they can tell the difference!”Lance looked at the cup he had just emptied. He started to feel queasy, who knows why? “Sick, dog. Sick to the core.”Dasco wagged. “Nah. I just really don’t like that stuff.”“You being the only one who doesn’t. No sweet tooth at all with you?”Dasco flashed a grin of his front teeth. “Not my case, pup.” Then he rapped against his tummy, producing a metallic sound. “Not to mention that I need to be fit, just like you should. Or are you and your partner the classic donut-lover cops?”Lance smirked. “Aw, come on! As if eating one from time to time could be a crime!”The other dog flexed his bicep and patted it. Again, that weird metallic sound. “It is, if the wrong diet makes you too weak to engage in a fight. Remember, when we’re out we’re supposed to stay ready for action, not a picnic!”“Fine, fine! Jake and I will do our cardio daily. Now can we go to sle-eep!” before he knew it, Lance found himself laying like a piece of meat over the other dog’s powerful shoulder.The King Shepherd walked toward the stairs with his ‘prey’. “No way, pup. First we do a nice set of exercises. Some basic stuff, don’t worry. You will sleep like an angel, later.”“No you won’t dare! You’re a mad dog!”“Nah, I just love my job, and I want my colleagues to be up to certain standards. You’ll see, a few weeks of proper training and not even you will recognize yourself in the mirror!”By now, Lance was tossing and kicking out and beating the big dog’s shoulder much like Olive would do with Bluto during the kidnap scene. “I love my current reflection! I love myself! The ladies love my soft belly! I am a cop! I will arrest you! Jaaaake!”“Be right with you,” said the man –a man laying over Marcus’ shoulder, while the Dire Wolf followed the Shepherd down the stairs. Jake didn’t look happy of his predicament. “One suggestion, my canine friend: Never, ever mention a sweet tooth to anyone who must be literally fit for a living. Oh, and weren’t you going to sleep?”“We are teams, we are supposed to do everything together, caring for each other. Sleep can wait. I’ll help you working out to a good shape. I did the same with Damien.”“I see why he looks afraid of you.”“Nah, that’s because he fears I could kill someone in the sleep.”“Please tell me you’re joking,” Lance whimpered.“I wish I had someone like you at my side, back at Area-51,” Dasco chuckled.“Too whimpy. Anyway, I like that I can’t Believe stuff,” Marcus said. “But, just like anything you eat, it must be treated properly.”“It’s a pleasure drink!” Lance protested. “A treat, not the difference between life and death!”The wolf licked his chops. “Then you should take it as I do: A nice dip for a dried meat ration. Protein and calories in one go.”Lance turned green.He started hating his job.

_________________

Last edited by valerio on Fri Mar 15, 2013 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:20 am

Kitch

Moderator

Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:53 amPosts: 1154Location: Orlando, FL USA

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

I figured out why the linked pics in Season 1:Pilot:Chapter 6 weren't working. It's because you linked them from FurAffinity instead of your Photobucket account. x3

_________________

Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:13 am

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Kitch wrote:

I figured out why the linked pics in Season 1:Pilot:Chapter 6 weren't working. It's because you linked them from FurAffinity instead of your Photobucket account. x3

Actually, they were linked from Photobucket BEFORE you told me that you couldn't see them, so I changed the link to furaffinity?Is Furaffinity link a problem?

I remember reading "Ray Bradbury’s There Will Come Soft Rains.” When I was a junior in high school, as well as a few others.

Loved what was going on with Marcus and the others, it was quite amusing.

Edit: Also the part about Navy being able to convince them to saw off one of there feet was funny. Especially when I thought of them using reverse psychology on her and getting her to do that or something! XD

OK, so what with the election of this new and interesting Pope, and the fact that I need to resynchronize continuity with the current year, instead of wrapping the events with this season, I'll do so with the fifth and final season of HPTS...as you know it.Will I stop with HPTS? No!Am I being cruel? Yes

OK, so what with the election of this new and interesting Pope, and the fact that I need to resynchronize continuity with the current year, instead of wrapping the events with this season, I'll do so with the fifth and final season of HPTS...as you know it.Will I stop with HPTS? No!Am I being cruel? Yes

wait, wait, wait. are you doing a universe reboot to write your fic based on the canon at the point you reset?

_________________I'm a shape-shifter. I'm currently in whatever form I feel likeParadigm Shift by meI do not actually believe any of what I'm saying.RP character sheets

Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:51 am

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

I can tell you guys that much: NO reboot! it would be an insult to you who followed my ficcie as it is, AND to myself after all the effort I have put in this work.

this and one more season.HP!TS as you know it will last until the end of season V, then there will follow the usual crossover episode

_________________

Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:24 pm

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

I just got caught up and I have 1 thing to say. This is the best fanfic ever but I hate the Terence high stuff it just doesn't catch my interest.

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:21 pm

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Legotron123 wrote:

I just got caught up and I have 1 thing to say. This is the best fanfic ever but I hate the Terence high stuff it just doesn't catch my interest.

Hmm, I knew I was taking a risk starting with a season made with OCs characters.Will have to work on that.

_________________

Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:08 am

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

valerio wrote:

Legotron123 wrote:

I just got caught up and I have 1 thing to say. This is the best fanfic ever but I hate the Terence high stuff it just doesn't catch my interest.

Hmm, I knew I was taking a risk starting with a season made with OCs characters.Will have to work on that.

Save for 1 or 2 episodes the whole season was nothing BUT Terence high. So you did a bit more then just START a season with OCs. But the episodes that weren't exclusively about Terence high were awesome.

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:03 am

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

valerio wrote:

this and one more season.HP!TS as you know it will last until the end of season V, then there will follow the usual crossover episode

Then I hope you plan to go out with a bang if you know what I mean.

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:07 am

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

The idea was *precisely* to have a season focused entirely on another neighborhood. It was after that I realized it would work better if I integrated it sooner in the whole plot rather than keeping it as a separated entityAnd, well, we may have different idea of 'BANG'. There will be changes, but everything I inserted stays where it is.

_________________

Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:08 am

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

9.White Cluster, Xanadu, c/o First National Energy Research Laboratories, River Ridge. 06:00:00

“Everyone awake, bunch of pencilnecks!”“I will not steal the cookies again, mommy!” Eddie said, while sitting up so fast that he actually got cramps! “Owie.” And it did not help that the lights stung his eyes like so many sharp needles. “Who? What? Where? Why?” He was literally yanked out of the bed. Someone, perhaps Dasco, perhaps Marcus, helped him stand at a passable straight position, while his colleagues put themselves in line.Before Eddie’s mind could focus on this lucid nightmare, the same feminine voice that had woken everyone up said, “Welcome to your real first day in paradise. I am Captain Natalie Domina, and I came to announce you personally the joyous news: The eggheads at Prometheus have decided to postpone their day of air to make sure things work properly when Herr Gottschalk will break the gospel to the world. “This leaves us with a problem: You! Idle hands are the Devil’s hands, and on this Captain Temno and I agree. We also agree that you have spent too much time on wussy assignments, or worse, too much time from your last assignment! So I will have the pleasure to use these remaining six days to make sure you all are in perfect shape or dead trying! You are free to disagree and win a free round of corvée shifts.”“Hooray,” Eddie croaked, still unsure if he was actually awa—“And do we have a winner?!” she said it with a…dangerous joy in her voice. Eddie’s eyes snapped open, his sweat felt cold.“You sounded so enthusiast with my idea, private Pope,” Domina said. Eddie thought of a dragon hissing before the attack.Edward was just happy that his first shift out was aborted and that next time, they’d select another quarry.“I think that this training idea sounded just fine with…us,” the young man said, trying to get himself out of that corner. He didn’t see Archer’s eyes flashing with hatred, but he could feel them burning in his head. “Ma’am,” he added. Natalie seemed puzzled, for a moment, but it passed quickly. “Good. So it’s true that there’s a diamond inside a piece of coal, after all.” She turned and went for the door. “Now go to the showers and show some love for your water. Then enjoy your breakfast. Make it abundant, you won’t nibble on your precious snacks until dinnertime. At ease.”It was then that a nervous chuckle, somehow, escaped Eddie’s mind and from there it went straight to his mouth. The following second, she was on him like a hungry panther!“You find it funny?!” and before he could even stutter an answer, she roared, “Do you think my family name comes from a AHHH! After ten thousand years, I'm free! It's time to conquer EARTH! activity?! Answer me, you sorry excuse of a tapeworm!”Eddie was about to answer ‘yes’. Uncle Jericho, head of SkyFall Security, was one…traditionalist when it came to hiring professional guns-for-hire. No women for a man’s job, he’d love to repeat. Edward’s father thought much on the same line of uncle Jericho.Eddie couldn’t just help finding it funny that a woman could act like that without him thinking that maybe she had a hormonal problem!“S-sorry, Cap,” he said, getting more and more nervous by the second. He realized the others were looking at him, again, like sharks tasting blood.Her face was now at an inch from his. Eddie could only think that she was a pretty woman. “My family,” she said with a sudden, wolfish ferocity, “was originated in Spain. They were descendants of a Roman centurion, Petronius Cassius Dominici. He was a Christian, back in those days when the Empire was collapsing.“When his centuria dissolved and everyone under his command decided to settle and become farmers and found their own village, Petronius was put in charge. He changed his family name in Dominus and decided that the new local religion must be Christianity.“Since then, my family expanded, grew in power, and the name Dominus changed again to Domina, to indicate that everyone, male and female, and pets alike, belonged to our Lord, And when, some many centuries later, a nice guy called Torquemada started his heretic-hunt, guess who volunteered to help him?”“…You?” Edward gulped. He saw her nodding, slowly.“Precisely. The Domina family sowed pain and harvested blood and tears. Cesare Borgia was a pathetic amateur. I still have the register with the names of the people my ancestor Eduardo Moreno Domina ‘interrogated’ on behalf of the Holy Inquisition. The register is said to be written with the blood of the victims. Do you want me to add your name to it?”By now, Eddie was completely, utterly sure that she would do it in a heartbeat. “No. Ma’am. Sorry, ma’am.”She nodded. “Fine. Now be a good boy and eat your cereals. When you losers are done, meet me at the holodeck. Uniform and jacket only.”

“You two look like you’re going to your own execution,” Iris said, while waiting for her instant breakfast to be ready. She wasn’t really a fan of microwaved food, but after working years in the CIA she had learnt to appreciate the value of a meal during a long shift. She had often happened to call ‘home’ the cubicle she shared with her human partner. “Hard as it may be, the holodeck should provide an interesting experience, after all.”The kitchen was a beehive of flurry activity. Everyone was awake by now, and everyone looked sharp and ready, everyone with their uniforms on.Everyone except team Pope: They still looked as if they had come out a cave.“Shgrumpf,” the dog ‘said’. “Gubrung.”“He meant,” Eddie said, while reaching out for the coffee pot, “that he would’ve gladly slept another couple of hours, since we’re not going anywhere but here. And I agree with him.” He poured the liquid into a beer glass and drank it quickly, before his brain could elaborate its temperature. “Stupid military setup.”“Believe me, where we come from it’s not different,” the Anatolian Shepherd said in the moment the oven *ding*ed. She opened it and took out the local novelty, a tray which, once the compartments’ lids were lifted, contained milk, scrambled eggs with cheese, hash brown, bratwurst, an apple with cream and cinnamon. The female’s tail wagged. “Ohh, wish we had this at the Farm!” She went and sat at the table near Marcus, who was busy killing a ‘sandwich’ made with a whole baguette with a raw thick steak between the slices. “In your line of job, you should’ve learnt the virtue of being sharp.”Eddie took two instant breakfast trays and put them into the oven. “In my line of job, I learnt to be available when I’m needed, not to be awake at ungodly hours when there’s no need.”“Discipline,” Marcus said, “is what makes a warrior strong. Discipline is made of many things, and sticking to a schedule is one of them. No matter how one is tired, he must be ready to face the new day as if it was his first day. Take your friends as example,” he said with pride, his paw indicating Jake and Lance, sitting at his left. They were smiling, their spoons immersed in a cup of sweetened oatmeal. “They worked out until 02:00 and now are ready like anyone else of us.”At that moment, Sodina passed with her empty plate, and her elbow nudged Lance’s head. “Sorry.”Lance said nothing. He kept smiling that weird, glassy smile. Then his face fell into the bowl. Jake started sliding down his chair, still smiling like a psychopath mannequin.Eddie almost sobbed. “Archer, my friend, promise me you’ll give me a honorable burial. And tell mom I loved her.”“I’ve heard that so many times,” Marcus said.. The oven ringed.Archer took out the trays. “His schedule is ‘sleep-rest-eat-nap-sleep’. He’s actually good in his job and he saved my tail several times, but he’s not really cut to keep his own life straight.”“He’ll learn,” Marcus said, somehow ominously. “Furthermore, One who can drink that scalding coffee so easily can’t be such a softie.”Eddie went suddenly rigid as if he had had a stroke. He made a weird face, much like Roger Rabbit after ingesting coffee.And then he ran away, toward the showers, howling like a banshee. Archer facepawlmed. “You *had* to remind him, had you?”Marcus almost managed to look innocent as he started humming the song We are Family.Lance kept doing bubbles from his oatmeal.---“Well, you may be a bunch of pathetic, spoiled, overpaid guns for hire, but at least you are on time.” Domina examined her underlings. “And you remembered my clothing instructions, too. How cute, next time you may even remember your own names.” She used a normal tone of voice, but somehow she sounded worse than during her enraged mode.They were all standing in the middle of the naked holodeck floor –‘room’ being too reductive a term for something that occupied a whole level.Clayton was thinking that it was such a pity that it wasn’t her his men had caught stealing in that camp, years ago…“Now listen well! See those replicas?” she pointed at the rack of weapons, each one a perfect replica of the weapons the mercenaries had chosen. Hadn’t Natalie told them what they were, they would’ve gone into a real battle with them. “Despite the holodeck being the closest thing to Star Trek technology, Gottschalk will not run the risk of seeing it ruined by real explosions and bullets. Not to mention that you may get hurt in the training, while you should have this opportunity during your job and not during funtime.”Just turn your back now... Dasco thought, craving to sink his titanium teeth into her buttocks –although he was fairly sure they could break in the attempt…“Now we will test your skills in a multiple disaster area scenario. You’ll be split in five teams: Your job will be to locate the scientists that, at the moment of the disaster, were out of Xanadu, and bring them back here. Now step forward and grab your weapons as I call you. Go to the zones as I call them.” At that moment, the floor lights changed colors. They divided the floor into five colored areas –blue, red, orange, green, yellow.“Team Pope and Team Beckett! Orange Zone!” Edward, Archer, Iris and Sarah quickly went to the rack and armed themselves. Then they stood where they were, under the colored lights.“Team Whitaker and Team Panderov! Blue Zone” Chance, Clayton, Sodina and Catherine were almost as well as ready as they were. Then they ran toward the farthest area. “I hope you are as tough as you’re advertised,” Sodina said to Chance.The cat didn’t even care to turn his head while answering, “I lived in places that make your streets look like comfort zones, dog. Never forget that.”

Domina waited until they were in position before calling out, “Team Nelson and Team Torrance! Red Zone!” Flare and Fredrick, Lance and Jake got ready and running to the nearer coded area. “Wonder why aren’t we trying a simpler solution,” Flare wondered. “Like a virtual reality game, you know, Matrix stuff. I’m sure they could have it here in wonderland.”“Negative feedback,” Lance answered. “If the brain is convinced to all levels of the fake environment, it could result in a severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The subject could start hallucinating, confounding reality and simulation. Not to mention that any accident to the system during a high-level neural interface simulation could damage the synaptic functions—““Couldn’t you just say ‘It could be a bad idea’?!”

“Team Olsson and Team Forge! Green Zone!” Marcus and Amar exchanged a crap-eating grin as they picked up their tools and weapons. Damien and Elsa knew this was going to be an interesting time –like in that Chinese curse!

“Team Jacks and Team Jones!” Dasco grunted inwardly, thinking that he’d have to be the cubsitter of that shrink! If Rusty thought the same thing about Caleb, he didn’t show it.Once everyone was in position, Domina walked toward the door. “Once again, this is not a contest between you teams! You must show you’re good at this job, and you’re going to work in harsh conditions! You have until nighttime to complete your task. Good luck!” She walked out.

Marcus almost giggled. “Tss, how ‘harsh’ could be a holographic simulation? This will be just a milk—“SIMULATION: ON“--Run?” the wolf’s ears and hackles went up.“How remarkable,” Amar commented.

_________________

Last edited by valerio on Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:18 am

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

This should be interesting to watch.

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

At that moment, Sodina passed with her empty plate, and her elbow nudged Lance’s head. “Sorry.”Lance said nothing. He kept smiling that weird, glassy smile. Then his face fell into the bowl. Jake started sliding down his chair, still smiling like a psychopath mannequin.

valerio wrote:

Lance kept doing bubbles from his oatmeal.

Uh, yea. Like I said, they have the ability to...

um...

eat oatmeal while sleeping? Yea, that's it. Because eating oatmeal while asleep on the battle field is a... vital... uh, combat technique. Yes.

Nothing will confuse an enemy more than a dog and his human partner sitting at a table in the middle of a battlezone, asleep, while eating a bowl of hot mushy stuff. It makes total sense.

_________________The best cymbal player ever has spoken.

JeffCvt is a copyright of jeffcvt inc. and not to be reproduced without the express written consent of CBS and jeff cvt.

Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:56 pm

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

JeffCvt wrote:

valerio wrote:

At that moment, Sodina passed with her empty plate, and her elbow nudged Lance’s head. “Sorry.”Lance said nothing. He kept smiling that weird, glassy smile. Then his face fell into the bowl. Jake started sliding down his chair, still smiling like a psychopath mannequin.

valerio wrote:

Lance kept doing bubbles from his oatmeal.

Uh, yea. Like I said, they have the ability to...

um...

eat oatmeal while sleeping? Yea, that's it. Because eating oatmeal while asleep on the battle field is a... vital... uh, combat technique. Yes.

Nothing will confuse an enemy more than a dog and his human partner sitting at a table in the middle of a battlezone, asleep, while eating a bowl of hot mushy stuff. It makes total sense.

That actually sounds like something I would use.

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

None the less I'm curious about how the holodeck will work. Sure it's big, but how do they, the security team, keep from running into the walls at one end of the holodeck. The workings of how the holodeck works just confuses me. I've read up on it, but still...

The idea was *precisely* to have a season focused entirely on another neighborhood. It was after that I realized it would work better if I integrated it sooner in the whole plot rather than keeping it as a separated entityAnd, well, we may have different idea of 'BANG'. There will be changes, but everything I inserted stays where it is.

EDIT: while ballad of linkara plays In the background with altered lyrics

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:14 am

valerio

Game Master

Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 amPosts: 15353Location: Italy

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

no, despite the fiction's sub-genre, we WON'T have "Panda Z"!

_________________

Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:33 am

_Stu_

Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2010 4:44 amPosts: 1572Images: 3

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

valerio wrote:

no, despite the fiction's sub-genre, we WON'T have "Panda Z"!

*Phew* i'm relieved. For... some reason, i mean. Uh.

_________________My webcomics! Read and subscribe if you like them (or one of them), and don't forget to vote on TopWebComics!

Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:48 am

Legotron123

Game Master

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:54 pmPosts: 1035Location: Michigan

Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

valerio wrote:

no, despite the fiction's sub-genre, we WON'T have "Panda Z"!

What's panda z?

I'm serious I don't know what panda z

_________________Because it's hard to express tones through just text, you have to make your posts perfect. Forgetting a period can turn a heartfelt apology into a bratty retort. Mis-spell to many words and you look like a idiot. Think before you post.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum